Board game and apparatus therefor



Oct. 17, 1939. H. J. GRIFFITH 2,176,258

BOARD GAME AN) APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed April ll, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet l @Hmmm/g Oct. 17, 1939. H. J. GRIFFITH BOARD GAME AND APPARATUS THEREFR Filed April 11, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .hm dm. Sw EN Zwem/Lof:

Oct. 17, 1939. 1 GR|FF|TH 2,176,258

BOARD GAME AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed April ll, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 oct. 17, 1939. H.1.GR|FF1TH 2,116,258

BOARD GAME AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Fued April 11, 1938 5 sheets-sne'et 4 PLA YE R5 OMPI/TA TIUN L'H/Il? T .Shares Shgres Q x rlol lua 1000 .5'. 50. loo. 15o. l./5 H5. l5a. 75 8. 80. lso. .20 lzo.

lio. 30o. 750. 1.30 130. 400. [35. 2/0. 42M 0.

o. 50a. i115. 300. 600. [50. 350. 700. 750. 400. 800. /60. 450. 900; I65. 500. 000. 70. 550. [75. 600.

65a. 700. M0. 750. M5. 760.

450. 55. lua. 500. 75 /05. 050. 6.. 60. l0. I00. 7. 70.

PLAYERS Dl/PL/CA TE LLT/NG H/17T ST/(S HMM/(Li GIM/N5 METALS, MINERALS Aluminum 6u. :pp/es Anf/'mung Airline 6a. primis Aluminum ,Z1/'Jia (a. Beans Bur/w;

ain Stare Bur/e Bsmu h ual Ca. am E11/appr f/46( Chemie al 6a. herr/es als lum .E/ecric 6a. [e/ery (aiu/f l l as a. Kaffee Cramlum 'ume Equi/:meuf [offen adm/um Lumer F/uur 6o/d anhu/fan Brew dais /rnf/ lam/ral aus anims Lead M'rae 6a. Paafoes Lhium (a. Peaches fle/curl Feira/elm' 6a. Fears agnes/um Rupr n. R/Ze Manganese Rad/a Carp. Rye f Pafass/'Um ,fu/raad V 5u ar Silver Sugar (a. 1 5i k Sfee/ slm ca. Tea Sodi um .Sfeel arp- Tlnaves S11/ful* Scrap Iran 0. Tabacco Tfn Tele/:haue Ca. Uhea Tungsen (INI/[1], Inc. Waal Zinc LIVE 5T06K Bl/S/NESS PP'T. hic/rens Enkel-g a/Hle Elec. Shop a ves F'l/'n 5facn to! Ducks /flalmg 3W Geese racery aafs ,Zadg sfaud d e .z /l/ arses a are Hogs Jewelry Sure ry y .Squas le/f5 furnis/fg. .Sheep Real Estufa H11/s :ga/'figg Goods TI/f 89S 0e fare 1 933% WM' f,

Oct. 17, 1939. l H, 1 GRlFFn-H 2,76,258

BOARD GAME AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed April ll, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 PAK connonrrv )Af/.61; L

JAI/4-- Patented Oct. 17, 1939 uNrrgDfsTATEs PATENT OFFICE Harvey J. Griith, Denver, Colo. Application April 11, 1938, Serial No. 201,221

. 3 Claims.

This invention relatesl to improvements in board game and gainejapparatus and is intended to provide a game for trading in various commodities in a manner 'dependent entirely on skill fand intelligenceV asdistinguished from chance.

It is well known thatthe values of stocks, real estate commodities, business receipts, etc., vary in accordance with certain trends and statistical conditions. The trader that'prospers most is 1.9; the one who recognizes' the'signicance of the different trends: and Vkvhowthey affect values.

Thus, an increasing-trend in unemployment produces a decrease in'earnings and purchasing power which aiects almost every article of 'comr merce adversely.

A threat of war may produce an increase in the price of certain vwar materials such as copper, steel, etc. Low oil reserveshave a tendency to produce an increase in the price of oil and large reserveshave the opposite eiect. l

y'It isV an object-of this invention to produce a"game, thesuccessful lplaying of which depends on the` vkskill withwhich the players can judge the eiect'of national and vinternational news on the holdings that theyhave and on the general list as a Whole and the one that can arrange his trade so as to profit the most from the information available will win.

In order to more clearly describe the invention so' that it can be readily'understood reference will *f now behad to the-accompanying 'drawings in which'the'several pieces of apparatus employed havefbeenfillustrated and in which:

Figure 1 is a face View of a board employed to give the prices for all listings for each month Figure 2is a transverse sec-tion taken on line lFigure 3 is a longitudinal section taken on une s--s Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is a view of the slide' portion of the board apparatus shown in Fig. land shows the several listings that players mayfdeal in, also thefpricesfor. the monthy of December; Y

Figure 5 is a View showing the three groups of numbers representing the prices, which are partially concealed by the slide shown in` Fig. 4 f Figure 6 is a View showing the rear view of a players card, and shows a computing table Yfor determiningquickly and accurately the cost of any blockof.stock or-otlflerarticle listedron the board. u Y

Figure 7 showsthe reverse side of the card,

shown in Fig. 5, on whichis containeda printed list which is a duplicate of the listings shown on the slide in Fig. 4;

Figure 8 is a top plan View of the business box showing the dilerent compartments;

Figure 9 is a transverse section taken on line 5 9-9 Fig. 8; I

Figure 10 is a section taken on line Ill-I0 Fig. 8;

Figure 11 shows a portion of a roller slide; and

Figure 12 shows samples of the script money and sales tickets employed.

In playing this game one person, who may or may not be a player, acts as manager and has in his possession the business box shown in Figs. l5 8-11. This box is provided with several compartments for keeping the money and the sales slips. In the embodiment illustrated there are nine compartments I5 of the proper size to receivethe script paper money illustrated in Fig. 20 12 and indicated by reference numeral l5. The box has seven smaller compartments, designated by numeral Il, which serve as safety deposit boxes and in which are filed the customers sales slips, designated by numeral I8 in Fig. 12. 25 The loWermost of the series of compartments Il, and which is designated I'la is for the reception of coins, or slugs representing coins. There is another series of small compartments i9, ve being shown, one for each article of 30 commerce dealt in, namely, stocks, produce, metal, live stock and business opportunities. In the upper end of the business box is a large compartment 20 in which are mounted for rotation two spaced rollers 2| to which the ends 35 of a tape 22 are fastened. Each roller has a knob 23. Compartment 20 has a rectangular opening 24 through which the printed surface of strip 22 can be seen. The upper edge of opening 24 has a plurality of equally spaced arrow 40 points 25, the one farthest to the left being marked 55 and the one farthest to the right being marked HIL There are twelve arrow points, each designated by a number that diiers from the adjacent number by ve. The numbers 45 just referred to are marked Commodity price level. Strip 22 is divided into twelve major sections, one for each month of the year. At the very beginning there is a section, marked 26, which merely gives instructions for playing. 50

Following section 26 is section 21, headed "January trends (listen closely) Under this heading, and following dates, are news items tending to show the trends of business. Following section 21 is a section 28Vheaded Tips 55 (profit by them) Under this heading are certain questions and statements of fact. The correct answers to the questions gives the initial of the name of a group of products or stocks and the statement tells how the prices of the corresponding products whose names begin with the same letters will respond in the near future. Following section 28 is a short paragraph 29 giving instructions for closing the business for the month and for preparing for next months business.

Each month, except December, has three sections, similar to the one for January, but for December there is a single section only, which explains how the business of the previous eleven months is to be closed.

In order to show with greater particularity the nature of the information contained, on strip 22, a short section is here reproduc-ed.

To start the game January trends (listen closely) Jan. 1,'The' bureau of mines at Washington at this Vdate reports a decrease of two million barrels of crude'ol.

Jan. 3'. 'A bearish tone is noted in the cotton market to-day.

Jan. 6. Wall street hears that motor companies are planning large expansion programs.

Jan. 9. Construction work shows increased activity in all sections of theUnited States.

Jan. `12. Sugar trading to-day shows little activity.

Jan. l5; Housewives meat strike is declared throughout many sections of the U. S.

Jan'. 19. Federal elevators show a surplus of corn.

Jan. 24. U. S. reduces the duties on imported lraw silk.

Jan. 27. Potato crop control wins throughout the fwestern growersassociation.

Jan. SOOn'e million bushels of corn was tendered in Chicago for monthend settlements of contracts.

Tips (prontby them) 1. Finland has what form of government? Stocks are up 50 to 'l5 percent. 2. v.Are the flukes of a whales tail Vertical or horizontal? Livestock show increase. 3.v Whosaid Go west, young man, go west? Stocks up. 4. What is the capital of. Russia? f Metals up. 5. What period of time is granted aboxer to regain his feet after being knocked down? Metals show a 35 to 50 percent gain. 6. How many members has the supreme court o-f the U.VS.?

Stocks'iup 50'to '75 percent. 7. How many keys are there in an octave on a piano?" Stocks up.

8. With what science does the nebular 'hypoth sis deal? Stocks up.

9. Who said, you can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time? Metals down.

What was the name of Tom Mixs famous horse? Live stocks down. i

Pay each player $200 salary for January.

Pay business prots to players owning business.

Business transaction period. (Players now buy or sell according to their judgment.)

Shift sheet slot to February prices.

February trends (be careful) Tips Instmlctionsr March trends (watch, for opportunities) Tips Instructions Eto. toA December December December is cash-in month.

Pay each player $200 salary :forl December.

PayA business profits toy players-owning business.

Each player nowy cashes in all his possessions to the manager of the game at the December prices.

The player whose assets and cash totals the most Winsthe game, therefore prospers themo'st.

rIt will benoted from Fig.` ll that a line 30 extends the entire length of strip 22. This line designates the commodity price level, the value of which is determined by comparing its position with the arrow points 25.

The trends contained in section 21 and correspending sections for each month govern the general outlook for speculation, as Well as busi.- ness .in general. Prices fluctuate froml month to month Yaccording to the trends.. Whose.v purpose is to reflect rise and fall during the progress of the game, as wellas to show high and low business cycles. Resumes of the economic news of past years has been assembled in these monthly trends to affect inflationary as well as deflationary periods. The economic situation both in they United States and abroad is considered in the. general make up of the trends. The manager reads the trends and the players must draw their conclusions from them and buy and sell in accordance with the interpretations they place on the trends. The tips are usedtov give denite hints of certain price changes of Various listings, business uctuations and business profits or earnings. They are correlated with the trends and are based onl information concerning such subjects as economics, history,4 science and on general information.

The tips are in the form ofV questions andthe iirst letter of the correct answer is vthe key to the tip, for example:

Q. What is the title ofithe Wife of an earl? A. Countess.v

l.separated groups 40 vof numbers.

1f the instructions in the trends shouldpread .metals .are Yup then all metals whose names begin with C will be in for a price advance.

In cases where the answer to a question is the .name of a person, the surname and not the given name is to be used.

Some tips call for a direct answer, in which case only a single listing may be affected; this can be detected from the question and accom- .panying instructions.

The listings and their prices are obtained from a board whose general appearance is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. This board is formed from a large rectangular sheet 3| whose ends and top are provided with guide slots 32 formed by the overhanging edges of the sheet 33 which 'is spaced from the outer surface of board 3| by narrow strips 34. A slide 35 is mounted in the guide slots and has attached to its outer surface Valong the lower edge a strip 36 that can be engaged by the lingers for moving the slide in the guide slots. It will be observed that the slide is provided with three spaced groups of rectangular openings 31, each group formed by three vinclined lines of openings.

Attention is called at this point to the fact that the guide slot along the top of the board or the distance from the inner edge of the top y spacer strip 34 and the edge 39 forming the top of the opening is much wider than the `corresponding distances from the side spacer strips to edges 38. From Figs. l, 2 and 3 it can be ascertained that the distance from the lower edge of .slide 35 to the lower edge of sheet 3| is less than vthe -distance that slide 35 projects upwardly into the upper guide slot. Since the slide does not have to move downwardly farther than the lower edge of sheet 3|, it follows that the upper edge of slide 35 will always remain in the guide slot. This is important because the slide is made of cardboard or other sheet material and when it'is withdrawn from the upper guide it cannot be reinserted except by pressing it down against the upper surface of sheet 3|. This is due to the Vfact that cardboard and even metal sheets will bend and warp readily. Attention is also called to notch 43, Fig. 4 as this makes it possible to bring the lower edge of slide 35 in line with the lower edge of sheet 3| and still leave J an. exposed.

Referring now to Fig. 5, which represents that portion of the upper surface of sheet 3| that lies within lines 38 and 39, it will be observed that the surface is provided with three, transversely Each group comprising twelve parallel lines. 'I'he numbers are spaced equal ldistances vertically and are arranged in parallel and horizontal lines. At the extreme left, near the bottom, the name of the :twelve months of the year are arranged in a vertical column, spaced vertically the same distances as the numbers in groups 40. January is positioned below the lowermost number in the groups. It will be observed that the numbers in the vertical column of each group, farthest to the right, are the lowest. The numbers in the next group to the left terminate one space above the lowermost number in the adjoining column to the'right, and the lowest number in the col- -umn farthest to the left of each group is positioned eleven spaces higher than the corresponding number in the column farthest to the right.

lIn Fig. 4 slide 35 is shown superposed on the surface illustrated in Fig. 5 and elevated to such an extent that the word December is uncovnumbers that appear in the openings 31 are the December prices for the corresponding articles named in columns 42. Thus, under Stock, share" the Gas Co. stock is priced .75 while under "Produce, grains corn is found to be quoted at .'70 per bushel. If the price for any other month is desired, slide 35 is moved down until line 43 is directly over the name of the month desired, whereupon the prices for that month will appear in openings 31. It is now apparent that the prices for all of the listings can be readily obtained for any month. Attention is called to the fact that the listings are divided into six groups by the following headings: Stocks share; Live stock; Produce, grains; Business Oppt.; Metals minerals and Monthly profit.

For convenience each player is provided with a card 44 whose front surface is shown in Fig. 'l and whose rear surface is shown in Fig. 6. On the front surface is a printed list of products, identical with the list on the surface of the slide 35, except the part designated Monthly profits. The table on the rear side of card 44 is a table used to facilitate calculations and can be used to compute the prices of blocks of stock from 1 to 5000 shares. The table is self explanatory and its manner of use is obvious.

Having described the several pieces of apparatus the manner in which the game is played will now be described.

Any number may play, but if more than four wish to play, it is advisable to play partners. In this explanation it will be assumed that there are four players and a manager and that the latter does not play but devotes his time exclusively to managing the game.

The manager assigns a safety deposit box |1 to each player and gives to each a players card. Each player then selects $500 worth of some commodity. The players are given no cash until the settlement period at the end of the rst month (the game usually starts with January) when he receives his months salary.

The manager turns one of the knobs 23 until he brings January Trends into the opening 24. He then proceeds to read the January trends, one by one, slowly and distinctly so that the players can grasp the meaning and the importance of each item. He then proceeds to read the tips for the benefit of the players who must apply their meanings to his own holdings.

After having read the trends and tips, the manager pauses and pays to each player his salary of $200.00 for the month and business prots to those who own businesses.

New transactions are now made. Each player buying and selling in a manner which in his judgment, is best calculated to profit from the trends and the tips. The players success depends on the skill with which he recognizes the significance of the trends and tips and their application to their own holdings or to other products listed on the board.

After all transactions have been completed and the sales tickets filed in the proper safety deposit boxes. |7` the manager moves the slide 35 so as to bring line 43 above Feb, whereupon the February prices of all the listed commodities, etc., appear in openings 31. The manager now reads the February trends and tips, after which he pays salaries and profits. This is then followed by a new transaction period, which in turn is followed by a disclosure of March prices, This is continued from month to month until December is reached, which is a Cash in month and for which no trends and tips are provided. Each player now turns in his holdings to the manager and receives from his payment in cash in accordance with the December prices. The player having the greatest total assets wins the game, having prospered the most.

Since the players are given $500.00 Yworth of listed .products at the beginning of each game and are paid a salary or a business profit at the end of each month, they cannot lose but are bound to prosper and .end the year with, at least their December salary and/or business profit, for this reason the game has been named Prosperity.

The game is provided with a number of different trend sheets and others may be worked up from time to time and actual news items and trends arising therefrom may be employed.

In order to facilitate the drafting of claims, the board I3 will be considered as longer than it is high and the designation top and bottom will be used as applied to the arrangement shown in Fig. 1.

Having described the invention what I claim as new is:

1. A board game apparatus, comprising in combination, a substantially rectangular card board of greater width than height, one surface of which is for the reception of printed matter, a cover board of substantially the same shape and size attached along the top and two ends to the first board, spacers between thesurfaces of the two boards, positioned 'along the top and ends to maintain the boards in a predetermined spaced relation, the cover .board having a rectangular portion removed forming a sight opening, the length of the sight opening being less than the distance between the end spacers whereby guide grooves are formed, the sight opening extending from the lower edge of the cover board to a distance less than the distance to the lower edge of the top spacer whereby an overhanging portion is provided, forming a guide groove above the sight opening, a slide of a size slightly greater than the dimensions of the sight opening, posi- -tioned with its two end edges and top side in the -guide grooves, said slide being movable vertically vof the board a distance slightly less than the distance from the top of the sight opening to the edge of the corresponding spacer, whereby the upper edge of the slide will at all times remain in the upper guide groove, the slide having a plurality of rows of openings extending diagonally, each row having the same number of openings of the 'same size, arranged in non-overlapping relation, the openings in the several rows forming vertical rows and the top opening. of each lower row being on a lower level than the bottom opening in the row directly above and' a finger piece on the slide to facilitate moving it.

2. A board game apparatus, comprising in combination, a substantially rectangular card board ofl greater width than height, one surface of which is for the reception of printed matter, a

cover board of substantially the same shape and size attached alongthe topand'two .ends to the first board, spacers between the surfaces of the two boards, positioned along the top and ends, to maintain the boards in a predetermined spaced relation, the cover board having a rectangular portion 'removed forming a sight opening, the length of the sight opening being less than the distance between the end spacers wherebyguide grooves are formed, the sight opening Aextending from the'lower edge of the cover board to a, distance less than the distance to the lower edge of the top spacer whereby an overhanging portion is formed above the sight opening, a slide of a size slightly greater than the dimensions of the sight opening, positioned with its two end edges and top side in the guide. grooves, said slide being movable vertically of the board a distance slightly less than the distance from the top of the sight opening to the edge 'of the corresponding spacer, whereby the upper edge of the slide will at all times remain in the upper guide groove, the slide having a plurality of rows of openings extending diagonally, each row having the same number of openings of the same size, arranged in a non-overlapping relation, the openings in the several rows forming vertical rows and the top opening of each lower row being on a lower level than the bottom opening in the row directly above the bottom edge of the slide having a notch 43 forming a sight opening, and a finger piece on the slide to facilitate moving it.

3. A board game apparatus, comprising in combination, a substantially rectangular card board f greater width than height, one surface of which is for the reception of printed matter, a cover board of substantially the same shape and size attached along the top and two ends to the first board, spacers between the surfaces of the two boar-ds, positioned along the top and ends, to maintain the boards ina. predetermined spaced relation, the cover board having a rectangular portion removed forming a sight opening, the length of the sight opening being less than the distance between the end spacers whereby guide grooves 'are formed, the sight opening extending from the lower edge of the cover board to a distance less than the distance to the loweredge of the top spacer whereby an overhanging portion is formed above the sight opening, a slide of a size slightly greater than the dimensions of the sight opening, positioned with its two end edges and top side in the guide grooves, said slide being movable vertically of the board a distance slightly less than the distance from the top of the sight opening to the edge of the corresponding spacer whereby the upper edge of the slide will in all operative positions remain in the upper guide groove, the slide having a plurality of rows of openings extending diagonally, each row having the same number of openings of the same size, arranged in non-overlapping relation, the openings in the several rows forming vertical rows and the top opening of each lower row being on a lower level than the bottom opening in the 'row directly above, the upper surface of the board having inclined rows of numbers, positioned and inclined so as to correspond to the openings in the slide, the board and slide having cooperating indices to facilitate positioning the slide in selectdpositions, and a finger piece on the slide to facilitate moving it.

HARVEY J. GRIFFITH. 

